Latest news with #RugbyCanada
Hamilton Spectator
7 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Tessier to lead Canada at women's Rugby World Cup in England
LANGFORD - Alexandra Tessier will captain Canada's second-ranked squad when the 2025 Rugby World Cup kicks off in England. Rugby Canada announced Thursday its 32-player roster for the elite women's rugby tournament. Tessier, a nominee for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024, is set to earn her 59th cap for Canada. She has scored six tries and 53 points over her 10-year international career that includes World Cup appearances in 2017 and 2021 (played in 2022). Twenty-one players from the 2021 Rugby World Cup team have been named to head coach Kevin Rouet's squad, including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin. All three will represent Canada at the Rugby World Cup for a fourth time. Sophie de Goede, a member of the World Rugby Women's Dream Team in 2022 and 2024, was named to her second World Cup squad. She came off the bench in a 33-5 win over South Africa earlier this month after a 13-month injury absence. Canada is in Pool B with Fiji, Wales and Scotland. It opens its tournament Aug. 23 against Fiji in York. The Canadians finished fourth at the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. Their best finish was runner-up to England at the 2014 event in France. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tessier to lead Canada at women's Rugby World Cup in England
LANGFORD – Alexandra Tessier will captain Canada's second-ranked squad when the 2025 Rugby World Cup kicks off in England. Rugby Canada announced Thursday its 32-player roster for the elite women's rugby tournament. Tessier, a nominee for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024, is set to earn her 59th cap for Canada. She has scored six tries and 53 points over her 10-year international career that includes World Cup appearances in 2017 and 2021 (played in 2022). Twenty-one players from the 2021 Rugby World Cup team have been named to head coach Kevin Rouet's squad, including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin. All three will represent Canada at the Rugby World Cup for a fourth time. Sophie de Goede, a member of the World Rugby Women's Dream Team in 2022 and 2024, was named to her second World Cup squad. She came off the bench in a 33-5 win over South Africa earlier this month after a 13-month injury absence. Canada is in Pool B with Fiji, Wales and Scotland. It opens its tournament Aug. 23 against Fiji in York. The Canadians finished fourth at the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. Their best finish was runner-up to England at the 2014 event in France. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
CBC
05-07-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada runs in eight tries in 50-20 rugby win over Springbok women in Pretoria
Florence Symonds and Alysha Corrigan scored two tries apiece to help Canada to a 50-20 win over South Africa in women's rugby play Saturday. Despite the comfortable victory margin, it did not all go the second-ranked Canadians' way. The second half saw the 12th-ranked Springboks score 17 points and Canada lose several players to injury. "I think we put in a big shift there," said Symonds, named player of the match. "I think we were down to 14 (players) at one point so we were thrown that challenge, I'm just really proud of the team." The two teams meet again next Saturday at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. The Canadian women will then have just two more outings before the Rugby World Cup kicks off Aug. 22 in England. DaLeaka Menin, Fancy Bermudez, Laetitia Royer and Caroline Crossley also scored tries for Canada, which led 26-3 at halftime. Julia Schell kicked five conversions. The win looked for a while like it had come at a cost when, early in the second half, Bermudez was taken off the field on a cart after an apparent leg injury. Rugby Canada said later Bermudez had rejoined the team after being medically cleared. Olivia Apps shifted to the wing in place of Bermudez, with Justine Pelletier taking over at scrum half, before she herself hobbled off in the 60th minute. Jakkie Cilliers, Byrhandre Dolf and Sizophila Solontsi scored tries for South Africa. Cilliers also booted a penalty and conversion. The game at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, the 51,762-capacity stadium that is home to the Vodacom Bulls, was a curtain-raiser for the men's test match between the top-ranked Springboks and No. 10 Italy. Injured South African men's captain Siya Kolisi delivered the pre-game team talk to the Springbok women. It was 17 C in the early-afternoon sunshine at kickoff and Canada started brightly, with Menin powering her way over from close range in the sixth minute to cap a 12-phase attack for a converted try. The physicality of the Springboks was demonstrated in the 12th minute when Solontsi, a flanker, sent captain Alex Tessier flying backwards as the Canadian captain attempted an open-field tackle. Soon after South Africa showed another side of its game, winning a scrum penalty that led to a penalty kick cutting the lead to 7-3 in the 14th minute. An overlap in the Canadian backline after a scrum led to a Bermudez try in the 17th minute to up the lead to 12-3. Schell's conversion attempt hit the goalpost. Unforced errors ended several subsequent Canadian attacks while South Africa conceded a string of penalties. Canada upped its lead to 19-3 in the 29th minute when Bermudez cut through the Springbok defence before feeding Symonds, who outpaced a Springbok chaser for a converted try — her first for Canada in 15s play. Royer scored Canada's fourth try in the 34th minute after South Africa fell asleep at the breakdown. Another Symonds try in the 38th minute was called off upon video review for a knock-on in the buildup. South Africa conceded eight penalties in the first half. Cilliers scored the Springboks' first try in the 44th minute, after Solontsi broke several tackles to spark the attack. But Canada answered immediately, with Symonds ripping the ball free from a Springbok on the ensuing kickoff and Corrigan getting to the loose ball first for a try and a 31-10 lead. Canada added another Corrigan try in the 57th minute with South Africa answering with tries by Dolfi (62nd minute) and Sizophila Solontsi (69th) to cut the lead to 38-20. Symonds scored her second try in the 79th minute and Crossley, a member of the Canadian sevens squad making her fifth 15s appearance, added an intercept try in the 80th minute. Canadian hooker Holly Phillips made her debut off the bench in the 53rd minute. Tyson Beukeboom, the most capped Canadian women's rugby player, earned her 75th cap coming in at the 64-minute mark, while fellow forwards Gillian Boag and McKinley Hunt earned their 30th cap. Star forward Sophie de Goede, Canada's captain when healthy, was not in Saturday's matchday squad. Returning from a knee injury, de Goede is expected to see action in the Springboks rematch. The game was the fifth meeting between the two sides and the first on South Africa soil. Canada thumped South Africa 66-7 the last time they met, in March 2023 in Madrid. The Canadians also won in three meetings at the Nations Cup: 53-15 in 2013 in Colorado and 52-17 and 35-17 in 2011 and 2009 in Oakville, Ont. Up next After the South Africa tour, Canada plays the ninth-ranked United States on Aug. 1 in Ottawa and No. 5 Ireland on Aug. 9 in Dublin. The Canadian women open the World Cup in England against No. 15 Fiji on Aug. 23 in York, then face No. 10 Wales on Aug. 30 in Manchester and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 in Exeter. South Africa will play out of Group D with No. 4 France, No. 8 Italy and No. 28 Brazil. Canada improved to 13-5-1 since finishing fourth at the last World Cup. Four of the losses were to top-ranked England, with the other to No. 3 New Zealand.
Hamilton Spectator
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada rugby coach Steve Meehan names 59-player long list ahead of summer tests
Canada rugby coach Stephen Meehan has announced a long list of 59 players, including 20 who are uncapped, ahead of the team's summer test matches. The 24th-ranked Canadian men take on No. 22 Belgium on July 12 and No. 16 Spain on July 18 at Edmonton's Clarke Stadium. They then start Pacific Nations Cup play Aug. 22 in Calgary against the 15th-ranked U.S. before facing No. 13 Japan on Aug. 30 in Sendai. The Pacific Nations Cup playoffs start Sept. 14 in Denver, with the finals set for Sept. 20 in Salt Lake City. The six-team tournament, which also includes No. 9 Fiji, No. 14 Samoa and No. 19 Tonga, is Canada's first opportunity to qualify for the 2027 World Cup. The summer tests are the first for Meehan as Canada's coach. The 59-year-old Australian was named coach in December, succeeding former Wales captain Kingsley Jones, who stepped down after seven years at the helm. Rugby Canada said the long list was chosen after analyzing the 50-plus Canadians playing in the MLR and those overseas with Christiaan Esterhuizen, head coach of the Pacific Pride and Canadian men's under-20 team, and outgoing men's sevens coach Sean White. Several new Canadian-eligible players were identified in the process. 'The work that has been undertaken over the last few months to prepare for the 2025 season and develop this extended player list has been substantial and valuable,' Meehan said in a statement. 'The players identified in this list are those who will be considered for our matches this year, and we are looking forward to getting on the pitch in Edmonton in a few weeks to kick off our campaign to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.' Meehan, who officially started in April, has clearly looked long and hard for new talent. The 20 uncapped players include talent from Australia, England, Northern Ireland and the U.S. The uncapped group includes Jamie Armstrong, Kyle Tremblay, Morgan Di Nardo and Ethan Turner, who are capped in sevens but not 15s. There is also a return for Evan Olmstead, a 34-year-old forward who last played for Canada at the 2019 World Cup. A six-foot-five 247-pounder with a wild mane of hair, he was hard to miss. Olmstead is currently playing for SU Agen in France's second tier. Olmstead was born in Canada but moved to Australia when he was three. His father, John, elected to move the family Down Under to join a friend who had a startup company in Sydney. John Olmstead, who died in 2008 at 52, was once offered a contract by junior hockey's Edmonton Oil Kings and went on to become a rugby player of some renown himself. A past president of the Capilano Rugby Football Club in North Vancouver, he is honoured when the Capilanos play UBC in the annual John Olmstead Memorial Cup game. Evan's great-uncle is Hockey Hall of Famer Bert Olmstead, who played for Chicago, Montreal and Toronto from 1948 to 1962. Evan Olmstead, who has also played flanker, had interest from Australian age-grade selectors but played for Canada at the 2011 World Rugby Under-20 Trophy in Georgia. A trained accountant, he quit his job as a logistics analyst for a medical devices company in 2015 to focus on rugby. Caden Wilson, Jack Carson, Jack Reeves, Johnny Franklin and Josh Larsen declined invitations for a mix of personal reasons, ranging from family to work, according to Rugby Canada. Players can be added to the extended roster, which will be cut down in early July ahead of the Edmonton tests. Canada Long List (x- denotes uncapped in 15s play) Forwards Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Austin Creighton, Edmonton, Nor'Westers Athletic Association; x-Barnaby Waddell, Exeter, England, Bridgend Ravens; x-Bryce Worden, Sussex, N.B., Burnaby Lake RFC; x-Caleb Ashworth, Crowborough, England, Harlequins FC; Calixto Martinez, White Rock, B.C., Old Glory DC (MLR); Callum Botchar, Vancouver, NOLA Gold (MLR); Cole Keith, Sussex N.B., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Conor Young, Sydney, Australia, RFC LA (MLR); Dewald Kotze, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Donald Carson, Tsawwassen, B.C., Britannia Lions; x-Emerson Prior, Brockville, Ont., Utah Warriors (MLR); Evan Olmstead, Vancouver, SU Agen (France); x-Evan Roy, Ottawa, Mount Maunganui Rugby Club; Foster Dewitt, Courtenay, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Griffin Phillipson, Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, City of Armagh RFC; Izzak Kelly, White Rock, B.C., Capilano RFC; James Stockwood, Bowmanville, Ont., Oshawa Vikings; x-Jeffrey Young, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Jesse Mackail, Palmerston North, New Zealand, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); x-Karl Hunger, Beaconsfield, Que., Pacific Pride; Kyle Steeves, Winnipeg, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Lucas Rumball, Toronto, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Mason Flesch, Cobourg, Ont., Chicago Hounds (MLR); Matt Heaton, Godmanchester, Que., RFC LA (MLR); Matthew Oworu, Calgary, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Piers Von Dadelszen, Vancouver, New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Reid Davis, White Rock, B.C., Utah Warriors (MLR); Sam Miller, Mount Denson, N.S., Southern Districts; Siôn Parry, Cardiff, Wales, Ebbw Vale RFC; Tyler Matchem, Pictou County, N.S., Pictou County Rugby Club. Backs Andrew Coe, Markham, Ont., RFC LA (MLR); Ben LeSage, Calgary, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Brock Gallagher, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Cooper Coats, Halifax, NOLA Gold (MLR); x-Cormac Saint, Rescue, Calif., University of California, Berkeley; x-Ethan Turner, Maple Ridge, B.C., Kalinga Black Tigers; Isaac Olson, Vernon, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Jamie Armstrong, Ottawa, University of Ottawa; Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, Chicago Hounds (MLR); x-Josh McIndoe, Victoria, Greerton Marist Rugby Club; Josiah Morra, Toronto, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga, Ont., United Rugby Sports Club; x-Kyle Tremblay, White Rock, B.C., Pacific Pride; x-Maddox MacLean, Brisbane, Australia, Souths Rugby Club Brisbane; Mark Balaski, Castlebar, Ireland, Southern Districts; x-Morgan Di Nardo, Toronto, University of Victoria; Nic Benn, Caves Beach, Australia, Utah Warriors (MLR); Noah Flesch, Cobourg, Ont. Chicago Hounds (MLR); Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Dungannon RFC; Rhys James, Kelowna, B.C., Pacific Pride; Shane O'Leary, Ballina, Ireland, Miami Sharks (MLR); x-Spencer Cotie, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Spencer Jones, Cambridge, New Zealand, Utah Warriors (MLR); x-Stephen Webb, Toronto, UBC; Takoda McMullin, White Rock, B.C., UBC; Talon McMullin, White Rock, B.C., UBC; Tiarnan Neville, Curracloe, Ireland, Galwegians Rugby Club; x-Will Grant, Sydney, Australia, Randwick Rugby Club. Injury Pending Ethan Fryer, Seattle, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Lindsey Stevens, Sydney, Australia, New England Free Jacks (MLR_) Michael LaPlaine, Montreal, Concordia University. —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025 Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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Winnipeg Free Press
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada rugby coach Steve Meehan names 59-player long list ahead of summer tests
Canada rugby coach Stephen Meehan has announced a long list of 59 players, including 20 who are uncapped, ahead of the team's summer test matches. The 24th-ranked Canadian men take on No. 22 Belgium on July 12 and No. 16 Spain on July 18 at Edmonton's Clarke Stadium. They then start Pacific Nations Cup play Aug. 22 in Calgary against the 15th-ranked U.S. before facing No. 13 Japan on Aug. 30 in Sendai. The Pacific Nations Cup playoffs start Sept. 14 in Denver, with the finals set for Sept. 20 in Salt Lake City. The six-team tournament, which also includes No. 9 Fiji, No. 14 Samoa and No. 19 Tonga, is Canada's first opportunity to qualify for the 2027 World Cup. The summer tests are the first for Meehan as Canada's coach. The 59-year-old Australian was named coach in December, succeeding former Wales captain Kingsley Jones, who stepped down after seven years at the helm. Rugby Canada said the long list was chosen after analyzing the 50-plus Canadians playing in the MLR and those overseas with Christiaan Esterhuizen, head coach of the Pacific Pride and Canadian men's under-20 team, and outgoing men's sevens coach Sean White. Several new Canadian-eligible players were identified in the process. 'The work that has been undertaken over the last few months to prepare for the 2025 season and develop this extended player list has been substantial and valuable,' Meehan said in a statement. 'The players identified in this list are those who will be considered for our matches this year, and we are looking forward to getting on the pitch in Edmonton in a few weeks to kick off our campaign to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.' Meehan, who officially started in April, has clearly looked long and hard for new talent. The 20 uncapped players include talent from Australia, England, Northern Ireland and the U.S. The uncapped group includes Jamie Armstrong, Kyle Tremblay, Morgan Di Nardo and Ethan Turner, who are capped in sevens but not 15s. There is also a return for Evan Olmstead, a 34-year-old forward who last played for Canada at the 2019 World Cup. A six-foot-five 247-pounder with a wild mane of hair, he was hard to miss. Olmstead is currently playing for SU Agen in France's second tier. Olmstead was born in Canada but moved to Australia when he was three. His father, John, elected to move the family Down Under to join a friend who had a startup company in Sydney. John Olmstead, who died in 2008 at 52, was once offered a contract by junior hockey's Edmonton Oil Kings and went on to become a rugby player of some renown himself. A past president of the Capilano Rugby Football Club in North Vancouver, he is honoured when the Capilanos play UBC in the annual John Olmstead Memorial Cup game. Evan's great-uncle is Hockey Hall of Famer Bert Olmstead, who played for Chicago, Montreal and Toronto from 1948 to 1962. Evan Olmstead, who has also played flanker, had interest from Australian age-grade selectors but played for Canada at the 2011 World Rugby Under-20 Trophy in Georgia. A trained accountant, he quit his job as a logistics analyst for a medical devices company in 2015 to focus on rugby. Caden Wilson, Jack Carson, Jack Reeves, Johnny Franklin and Josh Larsen declined invitations for a mix of personal reasons, ranging from family to work, according to Rugby Canada. Players can be added to the extended roster, which will be cut down in early July ahead of the Edmonton tests. Canada Long List (x- denotes uncapped in 15s play) Forwards Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Austin Creighton, Edmonton, Nor'Westers Athletic Association; x-Barnaby Waddell, Exeter, England, Bridgend Ravens; x-Bryce Worden, Sussex, N.B., Burnaby Lake RFC; x-Caleb Ashworth, Crowborough, England, Harlequins FC; Calixto Martinez, White Rock, B.C., Old Glory DC (MLR); Callum Botchar, Vancouver, NOLA Gold (MLR); Cole Keith, Sussex N.B., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Conor Young, Sydney, Australia, RFC LA (MLR); Dewald Kotze, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Donald Carson, Tsawwassen, B.C., Britannia Lions; x-Emerson Prior, Brockville, Ont., Utah Warriors (MLR); Evan Olmstead, Vancouver, SU Agen (France); x-Evan Roy, Ottawa, Mount Maunganui Rugby Club; Foster Dewitt, Courtenay, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Griffin Phillipson, Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, City of Armagh RFC; Izzak Kelly, White Rock, B.C., Capilano RFC; James Stockwood, Bowmanville, Ont., Oshawa Vikings; x-Jeffrey Young, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Jesse Mackail, Palmerston North, New Zealand, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); x-Karl Hunger, Beaconsfield, Que., Pacific Pride; Kyle Steeves, Winnipeg, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Lucas Rumball, Toronto, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Mason Flesch, Cobourg, Ont., Chicago Hounds (MLR); Matt Heaton, Godmanchester, Que., RFC LA (MLR); Matthew Oworu, Calgary, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Piers Von Dadelszen, Vancouver, New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Reid Davis, White Rock, B.C., Utah Warriors (MLR); Sam Miller, Mount Denson, N.S., Southern Districts; Siôn Parry, Cardiff, Wales, Ebbw Vale RFC; Tyler Matchem, Pictou County, N.S., Pictou County Rugby Club. Backs Andrew Coe, Markham, Ont., RFC LA (MLR); Ben LeSage, Calgary, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Brock Gallagher, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Cooper Coats, Halifax, NOLA Gold (MLR); x-Cormac Saint, Rescue, Calif., University of California, Berkeley; x-Ethan Turner, Maple Ridge, B.C., Kalinga Black Tigers; Isaac Olson, Vernon, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Jamie Armstrong, Ottawa, University of Ottawa; Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, Chicago Hounds (MLR); x-Josh McIndoe, Victoria, Greerton Marist Rugby Club; Josiah Morra, Toronto, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga, Ont., United Rugby Sports Club; x-Kyle Tremblay, White Rock, B.C., Pacific Pride; x-Maddox MacLean, Brisbane, Australia, Souths Rugby Club Brisbane; Mark Balaski, Castlebar, Ireland, Southern Districts; x-Morgan Di Nardo, Toronto, University of Victoria; Nic Benn, Caves Beach, Australia, Utah Warriors (MLR); Noah Flesch, Cobourg, Ont. Chicago Hounds (MLR); Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Dungannon RFC; Rhys James, Kelowna, B.C., Pacific Pride; Shane O'Leary, Ballina, Ireland, Miami Sharks (MLR); x-Spencer Cotie, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Spencer Jones, Cambridge, New Zealand, Utah Warriors (MLR); x-Stephen Webb, Toronto, UBC; Takoda McMullin, White Rock, B.C., UBC; Talon McMullin, White Rock, B.C., UBC; Tiarnan Neville, Curracloe, Ireland, Galwegians Rugby Club; x-Will Grant, Sydney, Australia, Randwick Rugby Club. Injury Pending Ethan Fryer, Seattle, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Lindsey Stevens, Sydney, Australia, New England Free Jacks (MLR_) Michael LaPlaine, Montreal, Concordia University. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025
